Women in Fire: Inside the Fire Service Promotion Process

In this episode of the Women in Fire podcast, host Lisa Baker, Southwest Trustee, Women in Fire, welcomes experts from California and Colorado dissect the realities behind fire service promotions, from driver/operator to captain and beyond. Deputy Chief Heather Mozdean of the Fremont (CA) Fire Department, Lieutenant Heidi Simon of the South Metro (CO) Fire Department, and Firefighter Brooke Sims of the Aurora (CO) Fire Department, share their hard-earned insights on the motives behind seeking promotion, the rigors of written and practical testing, and the critical leadership responsibilities that departments often overlook. They also address common pitfalls like test integrity, balancing firefighter and engineer experience, and the tough conversations that must happen when officers fall short. Sims offers a frontline perspective on juggling study demands with family life, while Mozdean and Simon emphasize mentorship and ongoing development through task books and probationary periods.